Following the gardener's directions, Ritsu successfully found the reading room of Beika Orphanage.
The room was very small, only around twenty square meters, but it was packed with books. Every inch of space had been fully utilized. There were no desks or chairs, only beanbag cushions stacked in the corner.
If anyone else had walked in, they probably would've thought Ai wasn't there. At first glance, the room appeared completely empty, so quiet that even the sound of a pin dropping could be heard.
Perhaps he had eyes sharp enough to see through it all.
Or perhaps it was because the place reminded him of where his former self used to love hiding most, an unnoticed corner where nobody paid attention.
Ritsu gently set down the paper bag in his hand and slowed his footsteps as he walked toward the window. Without glancing to the side, he first pulled open the curtains blocking the outside light.
His cold, timber voice softened as he quietly said, "Reading in such a dark place will hurt your eyes."
Silence answered him.
But he had already expected that.
Turning around and leaning against the windowsill, Ritsu crossed his arms and looked toward Ai, who was curled up in the corner clutching a book while staring up at him.
Through her... he could see himself.
Back then, he had been exactly the same. He loved squeezing himself into cramped corners. If he remembered correctly, his favorite spot at school had been beside the most isolated vending machine on the second floor.
As long as he curled up tightly enough, nobody would notice him.
"Mister, how did you know I was here?" After waiting for a long time without an answer, Ai finally asked timidly.
"Because Uncle used to like sitting here too."
"You're lying. You don't look sad at all."
Ritsu froze slightly at those words. His gentle gaze rested on Ai as he softly replied, "That's because Uncle is already an adult. Adults are good at hiding their emotions."
"Really?"
"Really."
Ai lowered her head gloomily to look at the book in her hands. "Then I don't want to grow up anymore."
"Why?"
Ritsu was somewhat surprised. Logically, a child like her should've wanted to grow up as quickly as possible.
"Because when people grow up and become adults, they become liars. My mom doesn't like children who lie, so I don't want to grow up anymore."
Such childish thinking. Naive, innocent... and adorable.
Ritsu walked over to Ai and slowly crouched in front of her. "But you want to become a police officer, don't you?"
"Why do you know that?" Ai asked nervously, startled that he had seen right through her thoughts.
"Because Uncle is a police officer too."
Ritsu gently pulled the book from Ai's hands. He had already noticed earlier that it was a book about criminal law, though he had no idea who had bought and placed it here.
"I've read this book several times before, so..."
As he flipped through it, the book just happened to open to the very last page. His eyes unconsciously paused there.
Tilting her small head in confusion, Ai looked at Ritsu, not understanding why the police officer suddenly stopped speaking halfway through his sentence.
On the inside cover of the back page was a line of childish handwriting, crooked and messy enough that a language teacher would definitely scold it.
What shocked Ritsu was the signature at the end.
Furuya Rei.
[Time really flies. I'm about to become a middle school student. Time capsules are super popular at school right now, but I don't like them, so I decided to secretly write questions for my future self on the last page of this book instead.]
[The kids at the orphanage probably won't be interested in books like this anyway, right? Hehe... just don't let anyone see this. Alright then, I'm going to start asking questions now. Future me, are you ready?]
It was almost as though he could hear the soft, childish voice of the young Rei in his ears, causing warmth to creep into Ritsu's eyes.
[Tell me, did I become a police officer filled with justice?]
'You did. And you became a good police officer who devoted himself completely to the public.'
Ritsu answered silently in his heart.
[Are Hiro and I still best friends?]
'Yes. You always will be. You even entered the police academy together and became officers together.'
[Then... did the future me find her?]
"..."
'No. But someday, you'll avenge her. You'll destroy the swamp that dragged an angel into hell.'
"Mister, why did you stop talking?"
Snapping back to reality, Ritsu calmly closed the book and handed it back to Yoshitaka Ai with a smile.
"Uncle just remembered some things from the past. Ai-chan, do you really want to become a police officer?"
"Mhm! I want to get rid of evil and catch all the bad guys!"
After saying that, Ai's eyes gradually turned red. Puffing out her cheeks as she tried to control her emotions, tears still streamed down her face, yet she stubbornly maintained a determined expression.
"That way... Mom will definitely be happy."
It felt as though needles were piercing his heart.
Ritsu gently pulled the little girl into his arms. All he could give her was a hug, and the words he once wished someone had said to his younger self.
"If you're sad, then cry. That's a child's privilege."
"Uuu..."
Ai could no longer hold back.
Ever since childhood, she had grown up without a father's love. Her mother had been her entire world. Even at such a young age, she understood how hard her mother worked to support the family, which was why she had long resolved to study hard and avoid causing her mother any trouble.
But now...
The bad man had taken her mother away forever.
Everything she had was gone.
She didn't cry for very long. Raising her little hands, Ai wiped away the tears on her cheeks and sniffled,
"Uncle, Ai isn't sad anymore. You should go back to your work."
The phone in his pocket had been vibrating for quite some time already.
Ritsu pressed his lips together slightly. She really was a thoughtful child who knew how to read the room.
A child's maturity and obedience were not things they were born with.
More often than not, they were forced into it by their environment. An invisible hand shoved them forward from behind, telling them they had no choice but to grow up quickly.
"Then Uncle's leaving. There are some small gifts for you in the paper bag by the door."
Ai nodded, her eyes following Ritsu all the way to the doorway. As he pushed the door open and was about to disappear from sight, she finally asked the question she had been holding back.
"Uncle... did you catch the bad man who took Mom away?" She had still asked it in the end.
Ritsu stopped walking, though he did not turn around. He simply reached over and switched on the lights in the reading room.
"Uncle already caught the bad man. He won't hurt anyone ever again."
After hearing those words, Ai finally revealed a bright smile. That was the expression she should've had all along.
"Thank you, Uncle!"
"It's the least of what I should do."
Leaving Beika Orphanage, Ritsu stood by the traffic light at the intersection and struck a match to light his cigarette. His deep gaze hid behind the drifting smoke as he realized once again that he still couldn't calmly face every situation.
The sounds of traffic. The conversations of passing pedestrians. And clearly audible above all of it, the sound of his own heartbeat.
As long as he was alive, he could never respond to the world with complete indifference and falsehood.
Taking out his phone and looking at the incoming call displayed on the screen, a trace of melancholy appeared in his eyes.
Once again, he would have to put on another face...
and embrace the darkness.